Trevor Ablett has now more or less closed his workshop due to ill health and so knives from one of the finest Sheffield knife makers are no longer available. He spent a lifetime in the trade.

M.

This is some of the saddest news I have heard in a long time.  Mr. Ablett was a fine maker and a rare man left in the trade in Sheffield.  Our prayers are with him for his health

Trevor Ablett has now died. His workshop which housed a variety of machinery some dating from the Victorian era is closed.

It's increasingly difficult to get anything made in the UK these days. I used to visit workshops in the Manchester area I suppose fifty years ago and huge numbers of people in small workshops were making a vast area of products. Now I would not easily be able to locate a small jobbing engineering shop and yet there is still a demand for many of the items they used to produce. regards Malcolm Carpenter

Looking for info on Aaron Jacobs sheffield

Michael,

I found this...Aaron Jacobs (1848-1900, York & Adams Co.) 

M.

I do not know what was happening for me that I missed your telling us about Mr Ablett.  That indeed is sad news, I do wish there had been someone willing to step in and learn from him.  The demand for quality and handmade never really ends so it always confuses me that we seem to be willing to lose the skills in our society.  RIP Mr. Ablett and M., I know this was hard on you as you were friends with this great cutler 

Thank You Rick you know some brands can be very hard to find.

You know Sheffield is about piecework. Most bits of Trevors knives were made by other people. In the New Year using parts pre-made for him we will produce much the same knives but of course without his logo. Prior to the Christmas holidays people turn up at the London markets and display goods which you never knew existed. We met a man not even on the internet who was showing bowls made from Yew which was the best and most colourful yew we have ever seen so hopefully we can obtain some of that. Nobody was particularly interested interested in his magnificent wood. I have the oak which is probably a thousand years old and which came from a 13th century beam.

My mother was a 102 a couple of weeks ago so we will see what 1916 will bring. regards Malcolm

My goodness, Happy Birthday to Mum!!!

M, Let us know when you start the project, very interested and if you can get some of that Yew...I want to see it!

i just got a nice 'Alfred Williams'  *EBRO* 5" bowie . ill post pictures when i get a chance to take so e. 

Michael-- Shame on you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL-A circa 1890-1920 Alfred Williams Ebro with no accompanying photos?? I've been drooling on my keyboard so long I might short it out !! 

Here it is,

Ok john, you must have shorted out your keyboard. 

Michael-Sorry, just got my keyboard back- I had to send it out to be Scotchguarded !! LOL- Seriously, a very beautiful old knife in terrific condition, my friend !! 

In celebration of my mothers forthcoming 103 birthday we have recreated my Uncle Cecil's trade card on a mug - one of his ill fated business venures. 

My wife really complains about this but you can never let a lot of 15th century oak planks go begging. We are turning some of them into the grips for Sgian Dubhs but if anybody has any ideas about what they would like to see them utilised in just let me know. 

The label is great. I would like to see the Sqian Dubhs with old wood grips, great plan. 

Malcolm,

I am impressed that he made travellers packs also LOL.  Seriously that would be a fine label for an "Uncle Cecil's doctors knife"!!

You don't seem to see many boils anymore or at least I haven't come across one since I was young . My father , I seem to remember , had boils on his neck and had to have them lanced by the company nurse . I guess that is from working in a collar and tie when you are a carpenter , or a chippy as people use to say .

The thing is with my mother coming up to 103 that's 43 years beyond her retirement age so it's a long time to sit around. That's why I keep working and am interested in new things rather than mundane production. 

Whilst it would not be much use to me in the UK it would be a nice idea to have a database of skills on here. We are running out of them in the UK where protracted moaning is the national pastime.

What is on Uncle Cecils label is only a brief snapshot of a family who were somewhat eccentric. I think it's been passed on to my children and my children's children. The sgian dubhs with the Lee Enfield walnut butt wood is in production.

Greetings. A cache of unused hand forged Sheffield made straight razors pre 1890 has been uncovered in Sheffield. I have a number of them and will post photos tomorrow with a bit of luck.

Great love to see them .

They are pretty much perfect except for one and they kept them all these years in anti-rust paper. I am amazed it's so efficient. It really makes you wonder what else is out there. Anyway time for bed. I had a chap turn up last week and he had boxes of pre 1900 fruit knives many multi-blade. Hundreds and he never came back but I think they will start turning up on auction sites soon.

Malcolm,

Will you be selling the razors?  If so will you give us a link to where we can find them and YES we want to see them please!

This is a Paragon straight razor circa 1880 Sheffield made and stored since it was made. Unused. One of a number of different types I have acquired. Made John and William Ragg, Sheffield. All with crocus polished blades, hand forged, and shaped jimped tang.

It is simple and elegant at the same time!  Just look at that hand forged blade!

I will put them on rasoir.uk I have come to the sad conclusion that pre WW2 razors are better made and better steel than any of the current razors on the market even when you are paying a lot of money for a high end razor.

Isn't that classy , what a beaut !!!

The blades on the pre 1900 straight razors are all different. Each one has a small difference presumably to give each blade it's own personality.

 This is a Sheffield made sgian dubh or Scottish sock dagger. We have used the walnut from Lee Enfield rifle butts for the wood. The wood has been stored since before WW2 when the British army switched to beech as a cheaper wood. Because of the curves and drill holes in a rifle butt each sgian dubh is different. We have also made some with 12th century oak which was salvaged from the fire in York Minster Cathedral. You can see picures on http://www.sheffield-gb.com

Malcolm,

wow, some impressive woods going on over there!!  Sheffield made to boot.  I know every one we have purchased through you was outstanding

I bought three of the razors that Malcolm Carpenter posted about back in August .

Just thought I should say on this group what wonderful things these are . They are not only beautiful to look at but give the best shave that you could imagine !

Thanks a lot Malcolm .

I did not realise you were going to use them. Can you imagine shaving with a straight razor which has been stored unused for around the 1860's. 

After a long battle we have managed to turn armoured plating from a shot down WW2 Spitfire into a product. It's oxidised, bent and pitted and whilst not a knife it's Sheffield made so you may like to have a look at this brutal keyring - quite unlike anything you may have seen before and not mass produced. I am interested in what might be said to be the creation of unusual objects. We only salvaged nineteen pieces from a metal so it's not a mass produced item.

New to the group, But not new to Sheffield Knives, Have been a collector since the 80's,

Just wanted to wish everyone on the group and on IKC Knife Collectors A Very Merry Christmas & The Best In The New Year!

Tony

I'm getting quite the collection of sheffield hunter bowies, I need to take some pics for sharing.

I am putting this link here so that I have it book marked within iKC for Sheffield markings http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?70399-quot-Made-...

The number of skilled knife makers in Sheffield is decreasing all the time. We have finished a Bowie with 15th century oak grips. Planks from an old Yorkshire farmhouse from around the time European explorers were discovering America.

The oak has a beautiful harmony of tones which make it difficult to photograph.

Beautiful looking wood Malcolm.

Malcolm,

That is an intensely beautiful oak!

The wood is very hard. It's a day out for us going round architectural salvage yards in London. Mind you it makes for an interesting time carrying planks on the Underground during the rush hour. Many thanks. Malcolm

You know I think I like creating the typography as much as I like the Sheffield made knives

The British State is proposing to only allow knife sales via retail outlets face to face. This will probably eliminate what's left of the craft made Sheffield cutlery industry and leave it in the hands of mass produced imports. Small craft makers will never have the chains of retailers necessary to continue and thus another British industry will go down the pan. Our politicians are pillocks - this is a Northern term of endearment and not in any way and not in any way a derogatory statement - we love them all,

Malcolm, you are right !

Will it stop people stabbing each other with cheap kitchen knives bought from Tesco.

I think not.

I thought they were only going to stop internet purchases meaning companies could do catalogs at least??

I don't believe that is the case Jan. My understanding is that you will not be able to buy from a dealer who is going to post a knife to you. So it will entail collecting the knife in person so that the dealer can check if you are under 18. I guess you would be able to buy a knife online provided that you turn up to take delivery.

I could be wrong as "consultation" begins this Autumn I believe.

The way knives are viewed here by most people, as weapons, means that I don't hold out much hope.

Hi,. It has stag handles with 7 functions and measures 11-1/2" open. The pictures pretty well tell you all about this knife..  It probably had a sheath of some sort as it is one massive and heavy knife. All comments welcome to my email address which is   pithole@zoominternet.net  I messed up on photos.

I bought the Sheffield ivory chatelaine knife below at an antique fair and cannot determine the maker. Any ideas please?"